


Owl to Cat

by archchancellor_archived



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, Post-War, Romance, The Quidditch Pitch: Eternity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-10-02
Updated: 2005-10-02
Packaged: 2018-10-26 11:59:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10786329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archchancellor_archived/pseuds/archchancellor_archived
Summary: Crookshank and Pig talk about birds.





	Owl to Cat

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

Crookshanks sat on his favourite spot in the front room. The windowsill. It was the first time this week he had found it clear. Pig had taken it nearly every waking moment that he had spent in the house.

Other times he was out Hooting his girlfriend--sorry make that wooing--his girlfriend. Or he was delivering a letter at twice the normal speed because he wanted to get back to her as fast as he could. When he was in the house he was perched on the sill watching the house of the animal lady across the street, so he would have a chance of seeing the female Barn Owl that lived there.

At first Crookshanks was annoyed at being deprived of his favourite sunning spot but he found it funny to see the little owl staring hopefully out the window.

Pig was out at the moment doing god knew what. He was not delivering a letter because Crookshanks had just seen his mistress looking for him with a letter that needed sending.

He was not with the Barn Owl because Crookshanks could see her inside the house of the animal lady. She (the owl not the animal lady) sometimes came to the window as if searching for something.

Maybe she is looking for him as well. Crookshanks thought.

Crookshanks thought no more about it as he laid down on the sill. He closed his eyes enjoying the feel of the afternoon sun and the light breeze that was coming in the open window.

He slept.

Crookshanks was awoken an hour later with a start. The reason for this was that Pig had just crashed into him.

"Afternoon, Pig" Crookshanks said in a voice that was all too calm.

Pig did not hear him. He was untangling himself from what Crookshanks could only describe as a mess.

There were differently colored flower petals, bits of string, some silver stuff and a bunch of berries.

Crookshanks could not even begin to think about why Pig had all this stuff. Pig was still unaware of the fact that Crookshanks was in the room, let alone the fact that he had just crashed into him a few minutes before.

"Afternoon, Pig" Crookshanks repeated in a louder voice.

"Hello Crooks" Pig replied as he tried to get rid of a piece of string that was caught around his leg.

Crookshanks cringed at the nickname.

Pig was still struggling with the string around his leg.

"Here, hold still," Crookshanks said as he used his claws to cut him free.

"Pig rubbed his leg to get the feeling back into his limb. Then he started to rummage around in the mess of materials that he had brought back into the house.

 

Crookshanks watched as Pig sorted the debris. He started to separate the mess into piles. Flower petals, string, berries and silver bottle tops, and silver coins. He then started to inspect the items. He carefully looked at them from all angles.

Then, if they passed his quality test, they were placed in a new group of piles on his left. Again each was placed meticulously into separate types. The rejects were picked up and carefully placed into the bin.

"Pig, what are you doing?" Crookshanks asked after Pig had finished.

"Er…nothing much," Pig replied.

"Come on Pig what is it?"

"Nothing. I am doing just what I do. Collecting silver stuff. My species does that."

"Collecting silver things? Er...Pig I do not know how to break this to you but Magpies do that, not owls." Crookshanks said after a strained silence.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes"

"Definite?"

"Yes."

"Sure it’s not owls?"

"Yes."

"Oh. I never knew that."

"So what are you up to?"

"Well I am sort of…"

"Yes?" Crookshanks said, trying to hurry the owl up.

"Sort of making..."

"Making?" Crookshanks sighed.

"A nest."

This surprised Crookshanks. It was true that Pig was spending a lot of time with the Barn Owl. But a nest??

Hang on a minute…

"A nest? Pig you have a perch; you do not need a nest."

"I do." Pig replied.

"How?"

"I have to build a nest with lots of colours and textures to attract females."

"Pig." Crookshanks said with his eyes closed. "That’s Bower birds."

"Bower birds. What are they?"

"It is a bird of paradise; it lives in New Guinea."

Crookshanks was about to add that they also dance, but the image of Pig dancing invaded his mind.

"Ok," Pig said, clearly not giving up on his train of thought. "Maybe I can impress her with my singing voice."

"Pig. That is a Lyrebird."

"You sure?"

"Yes. It lives in Australia."

"Oh," Pig said deflated.

Crookshanks gave Pig a soft pat on the head with his paw.

"Pig I do not think you will need this sort of stuff with her."

"Maybe you're right," Pig said.

Pig seemed to think for a moment.

"Hang on. How do you know all this stuff about birds?"

"Ornithology?"

"What?"

"Ornithology. The sciences of birds."

"How come you know all this?"

"I’m a cat. Cats are very intelligent animals."

This comment was true enough in itself. But what Crookshanks failed to add was that a lot of his information on birds came from his mum, during his hunting lessons. He was trained well in birds, mice and rats.

Crookshanks had become a bit of a nemesis to the local rat population. No rat escaped from him.

Well one rat had…

Crookshanks had to shake himself out of his thoughts. This was not a time to dwell on the past.

Pig seemed to be satisfied with his answer. He was now looking at the pile that he had brought home with him.

He looked crestfallen as he found it was all for nothing.

"Crookshanks, what do I do?" Pig asked in a small voice.

Crookshanks could not think of anything to say to reassure the little owl.

Relationships were a lot easier for cats.

"Look, Pig," Crookshanks started. "Be yourself and you cannot fail."

Crookshanks knew that this was not the best advice he could give. But it seemed to work.

Crookshanks noticed that Pig was staring out the window. Crookshanks followed his gaze. Outside was the Barn Owl; she was sitting on the fence surrounding the front garden.

Pig had frozen.

"Well? Go to her," Crookshanks prompted.

With a nod to the cat the tiny owl flew out to meet her.

"That went well," Crookshanks said to himself.

Crookshanks once again settled down on the windowsill and slept.


End file.
